1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of electronic security systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing dynamic alarm notification signals within a security system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Typical building alarm systems often include a number of devices positioned throughout a building or home to alert occupants of security and fire emergencies. For example, alarm systems may typically include devices such as sensors used to monitor various conditions, such as fire, smoke, toxic gases, high/low temperature (e.g., freezing) or flooding as well as annunciation devices used to alert an occupant of these various conditions. These devices communicate, either wired or wirelessly, with an alarm panel. For example, in response to triggering a door sensor, a signal is transmitted to the alarm panel that in turn may sound or otherwise notify the occurrence of the alarm condition to occupants of the premises and remotely communicate with a monitoring facility, law enforcement or fire department services that may then dispatch capable authorities to intervene at the premises. Communication to the monitoring station is facilitated by a communicator housed within the control panel or configured as a separate device. The communication may be via a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) dial up jack, internet modem, GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), etc., to provide a communications link between the building in which the alarm system is located and the monitoring facility that is geographically remote from the building. This communication link provides a means for event transmissions to be transmitted between the alarm system and the monitoring facility to provide information about the status of the alarm system (e.g., that it is operational that it has been armed, that it has been disarmed), or provide information about the status of one or more alarms or devices in the building (e.g., that a window or door has been opened or that a smoke or fire detector is experiencing an alarm condition).
As mentioned above, the components of a security system may be hardwired, wireless or a combination thereof. In particular, hardwired systems connect each of the devices, to a control panel which communicates with a POTS interface jack, internet modem, etc., using physical communication medium. Although these systems are reliable, they require increased installation/labor costs. Other systems may take advantage of wireless communication between the devices and a control panel which provides easier installation than hardwired systems. Moreover, certain systems utilize self-contained security control units which contain a control panel, keypad, communicator (RF), and notification device(s) in one package. These units are convenient for use in smaller homes, offices, etc., and are usually located near a door or other entry way. All of these systems are susceptible to the “smash and grab” intruder technique where an intruder smashes through a door and grabs the control unit before an alarm notification signal is sent to the monitoring facility and/or a signal is sent to trigger a notification device such as a siren.
Typically, a delay time is preprogrammed into the system to allow a homeowner with sufficient time to disarm the alarm system. These delay times may be, for example, 60 seconds, but have been getting longer in view of fines assessed by certain municipalities for false alarms providing an intruder with valuable time to defeat the security system. However, the smash and grab technique requires the intruder to locate the control panel during the delay period before an alarm signal is sent to the monitoring facility or notification device within the premises. This is relatively easy for systems that utilise self contained, control units since the control panel usually incorporates a keypad located near an entry door which beeps during the predetermined delay period. For hardwired systems, this requires the intruder to quickly enter and locate the control panel which is usually installed near a telephone interface box, internet modem, etc., in a basement or other utility area. In addition, labor costs associated with installing notification devices such as sirens in remote locations (e.g. attics) have necessitated incorporating these devices into or near the control panels which allows intruders to destroy and/or disarm the notification device once the control panel is located. When the siren or other notification device is incorporated with a control panel that includes a communicator configured to send/receive signals from a monitoring facility, the siren sound also allows the intruder to located and destroy the communicator. Regardless of the type of control unit and/or notification device employed, an intruder has the programmed delay period to locate and smash the unit from the wall before the control unit sends a signal that: (i) initiates a notification device (e.g. siren, lights, etc.) to scare off the intruder; and/or (ii) notifies a monitoring facility of the alarm condition. Thus, there is a need for a security system that provides notification of an alarm event to a monitoring facility without providing an intruder any indication that the communication to the monitoring facility has already occurred.